Margo Waterval (Suriname)
Date and place of birth: 18 March 1948, Paramaribo, Suriname
Working languages: Dutch, English
Current position/function
Lecturer at the Anton de Kom University of Suriname
Lecturer in Human Rights Law, International Humanitarian Law and Diplomatic and Consular Law. On behalf
of the University, participation in the National Commission on the Elimination of Child Labour. Advising the
Board of the University on matters regarding human rights and exams Acting Chair of the Institute of
Children’s Rights. Chair of an NGO working with Indigenous and Maroons
Main professional activities
Lecturing at the Anton de Kom University of Suriname and as a consultant writing and presenting country
reports to U.N. Human Rights Committee in New York and Geneva, Switzerland
Advising the Government on human rights cases and with other lawyers participating in human rights cases
before the inter-American Human Rights Commission in Washington, D.C. and before the Inter-American
Court of Human Rights in San José, Costa Rica
Training students of the university to participate in moot court competitions in The Hague (The European
International Model United Nations – TEIMUN), Washington, D.C. (on the Inter-American Human Rights
System), Trinidad and Tobago (before the Caribbean Court of Justice – CCJ) and at present for the World
Human Rights Moot Court Competition in South Africa.
Educational background
Starting as a teacher at the elementary school, continued as a teacher of English and Dutch at a secondary
school for more than 25 years. Studied law and graduated from the Anton de Kom University of Suriname
(1998) and graduated in 2001 at the Law School of the American University in Washington, D.C. in the
International Legal Program. Training in Human Rights Law and Humanitarian Law in San José, Costa Rica,
Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados
Other main activities in the field relevant to the mandate of the treaty body concerned
Preparing to participate in the writing and presentation of the universal periodic review in Geneva,
Switzerland. As chair of the board of directors of Amazon Conservation Team-Suriname (NGO), the office is
participating with the Government in mapping the areas of the Indigenous Peoples and the Maroons to fulfil
the obligation by the Samaaka Lo and the Moiwana judgement issued by the Inter-American Court of Human
Rights. In July 2010, will participate in the training of lawyers who are becoming judges, in Human Rights
Law, at the Foundation for legal cooperation of Suriname-Netherlands. The counterpart is a judge.
List of most recent publications in the field
The role of NGOs in defending human rights (2005)
The principle of complementarity of the Rome Statute (ICC) (2007)
Relation of articles 28, 32 and 37 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child with regard to the homicide in
Nickerie (2008)
Human rights in Suriname (2010)
[This profile can be found in the document CCPR/SP/75]